A journal about life in Wisconsin, decorating, and restoring an 1893 Queen Anne Victorian built by Civil War veteran John Olson Wrolstad and his wife Mathea. Read on to see lots of old photographs, and read stories of the second owners Thomas and Maren Quien, and their children who filled the house with memories for 90 years.
Very First Photo I Took of the House Feb 18, 2001 - 30 minutes after we bought the house.

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Sunday, June 13, 2010

Today, DH Jon and his buddy Ben finished the shell of the west dormer. We're so glad to be this far. Rain, rain, and more rain all last week, and cloudy and cold all day long.

Above: Standing in the middle of the studio, I'm facing the east dormer. On the right of the floor is the opening for the elevator.

I'm standing at the north end of the studio looking south to the balcony doors. Left is the east dormer, and barely visible to the right is the west dormer (sewing room).

Standing in the middle of the studio I'm facing the east dormer, and great view of the old blue barn.

Above: this is the west dormer 8' x 12' room just like the east dormer. DH Jon will put countertops around the south and west walls. My sewing machine and serger will be in this room. This is so exciting, I have to pinch myself.

Saturday, June 5, 2010

This is an oversize print by Louis Wain. He spent his career painting cats doing human activities. This print was a gift from a friend Pug Matzen who visited me Memorial Day. Isn't this a jewel? This one was published around 1910.

Wednesday, June 2, 2010

Started building the east dormer on Tuesday, June 1. I asked Jon to move the east dormer to the north 4 feet to give me a longer east wall to accommodate students and easels. Jon hates the idea but is going along with my request.

The boom truck lifting floor platform for the east dormer into position.

Below: I'm standing in the south end of the studio, facing east. This photo taken before platform was lifted into position.

Below: I'm standing in the south end of the studio, left is the west dormer and right is the east dormer.

Jon and his brother Paul moving platform into position. Upper left side of platform is opening for the elevator.

Jon braces opening. Paul is knocking down metal flashing with a chunk of lumber and a hammer.

Below:

The lower left side of the photo is my Mom Lorraine sitting in a lawn chair. She meticulously cleans spindles for the front porch restoration. The tops of the spindles are toast and require gouging out wafer like decayed wood.

Afterwards she fills the voids a little at a time with wood filler. Mom and I cleaned lots of spindles last summer together. We're getting near the end of restoring the spindles. Next step is to prime and paint them--getting them ready for reassembly of porch rails. We fabricated new rails, but will use the old spindles to reconstruct. We don't have enough old spindles and have to fabricate a dozen new ones to complete the porch.

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About Me

I work out of my studio as a free style long arm quilter, and designer of beaded handbags and soft luggage.
Since 2007 my husband and I have been restoring a Queen Anne Victorian. The majority of projects are finished after eight years. But, I don't think one ever finishes work on hundred year old home.
Our journal
http://www.1893victorianfarmhouse.blogspot.com shares our life here in rural Wisconsin with many before and after restoration photos and history of the two previous owner families. We feel honored to repair this old house and give it another hundred years of life.
I have lots of hobbies, most of them a result of the restoration project. I love to sew draperies, quilting queen size bed quilts, machine embroider fine linens, re-cover vintage lampshades and upholster chairs. I've become good at repairing interior walls, and scraping, priming, and painting the exterior of the house. Its hard work, but a satisfying journey.
I hope you become a follower of my blog. I have lots of photos to share with you.
Sincerely,
Mrs. D